Condensing unit desuperheater

Abstract

A condensing unit has a fan selectively operable to draw air through the condensing unit along an airflow path, a first row of condenser tubes disposed along the airflow path, and a second row of desuperheater tubes disposed along the airflow path downstream relative to the first row of condenser tubes. A condensing unit has an airflow path, a desuperheater heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path, and a condenser heat exchanger disposed along the airflow path. A method of desuperheating a refrigerant includes causing air having a first air temperature to encounter a condenser tube comprising refrigerant having a first refrigerant temperature, raising the temperature of the air to a second air temperature, and causing the air having the second air temperature to encounter a desuperheater tube comprising refrigerant having a second refrigerant temperature higher than the first refrigerant temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A condensing unit, comprising:
 a fan selectively operable to draw air through the condensing unit along an airflow path that exits the condensing unit through an air outlet; 
 a first row of condenser tubes comprising a plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits disposed along the airflow path, the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits comprising (1) an uppermost condenser tube having an uppermost portion, the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube being located closest to an air outlet as compared to other condenser tubes of the first row of condenser tubes and (2) a lowermost condenser tube having a lowermost portion, the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube being located furthest from the air outlet as compared to the other condenser tubes of the first row of condenser tubes; and 
 a second row of desuperheater tubes comprising a plurality of parallel desuperheater fluid circuits and disposed along the airflow path downstream relative to the first row of condenser tubes; 
 wherein the desuperheater tubes are located between the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube and the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube; 
 wherein the air flowpath passes over the desuperheater tubes after having passed between the uppermost position of the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube and the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube; and wherein the plurality of the parallel desuperheater fluid circuits are configured to feed refrigerant to the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits through a commonly shared desuperheater exit tube. 
 
     
     
       2. The condensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first row of condenser tubes comprises refrigerant disposed therein having a temperature substantially equal to a saturation temperature of the refrigerant. 
     
     
       3. The condensing unit of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second row of desuperheater tubes comprises superheated refrigerant disposed therein. 
     
     
       4. A condensing unit, comprising:
 an airflow path that extends from an air inlet to an air outlet; 
 a desuperheater heat exchanger comprising a plurality of parallel desuperheater fluid circuits and disposed along the airflow path; and 
 a condenser heat exchanger comprising a plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits disposed along the airflow path, the condenser heat exchanger comprising an uppermost end and a lowermost end, wherein the uppermost end of the condenser heat exchanger is located closest to the air outlet, and wherein the lowermost end of the condenser heat exchanger is located furthest from the air outlet; 
 wherein at least a portion of the desuperheater heat exchanger is at least partially enveloped by the condenser heat exchanger, wherein the desuperheater heat exchanger is located between the uppermost end of the condenser heat exchanger and the lowermost end of the condenser heat exchanger, 
 wherein the air flowpath passes over the desuperheater tubes after having passed between the uppermost position of the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube and the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube; and wherein the plurality of parallel desuperheater fluid circuits are configured to feed refrigerant to the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits through a commonly shared desuperheater exit tube. 
 
     
     
       5. The condensing unit of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a compressor; 
 wherein refrigerant discharged from the compressor passes completely through the desuperheater heat exchanger prior to entering the condenser heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
       6. The condensing unit of  claim 5 , wherein the refrigerant received by the desuperheater heat exchanger is superheated. 
     
     
       7. The condensing unit of  claim 6 , wherein the refrigerant is substantially desuperheated prior to exiting the desuperheater heat exchanger. 
     
     
       8. The condensing unit of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the desuperheater heat exchanger is disposed downstream along the airflow path relative to the condenser heat exchanger. 
     
     
       9. The condensing unit of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of refrigerant within the condenser heat exchanger is substantially at a saturation temperature of the refrigerant. 
     
     
       10. The condensing unit of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the desuperheater heat exchanger is located in proximity to a fan of the condensing unit. 
     
     
       11. The condensing unit of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the desuperheater heat exchanger and the condenser heat exchanger comprises a plurality of rows of tubes along the airflow path. 
     
     
       12. The condensing unit of  claim 11 , wherein the airflow path is configured to direct air into the condensing unit in a first direction and wherein the airflow path is configured to direct air out of the condensing unit in a second direction that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. 
     
     
       13. A method of desuperheating a refrigerant, comprising:
 causing air having a first air temperature to encounter a condenser tube of a plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits comprising refrigerant having a first refrigerant temperature; 
 transferring heat from the refrigerant of the condenser tube to the air and raising the temperature of the air to a second air temperature; and 
 causing the air having the second air temperature to encounter a desuperheater tube of a plurality of parallel desuperheater fluid circuits comprising refrigerant having a second refrigerant temperature higher than the first refrigerant temperature; 
 wherein the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits comprises (1) an uppermost condenser fluid circuit having an uppermost condenser tube having an uppermost portion, the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube being located closest to an air outlet as compared to other condenser tubes of the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits and (2) a lowermost condenser fluid circuit having a lowermost condenser tube having a lowermost portion, the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube being located furthest from the air outlet as compared to other condenser tubes of the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits; 
 wherein the desuperheater fluid circuits are located between the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube of the uppermost condenser fluid circuit and the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube of the lowermost condenser fluid circuit; 
 wherein the air having the second air temperature encounters the desuperheater tube is passed between the uppermost portion of the uppermost condenser tube and the lowermost portion of the lowermost condenser tube prior to encountering the desuperheater tube; and 
 wherein the plurality of parallel desuperheater fluid circuits are configured to feed refrigerant to the plurality of parallel condenser fluid circuits through a commonly shared desuperheater exit tube. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first refrigerant temperature is a saturation temperature of the refrigerant.